1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates, generally, to medical appliances known as walkers. More particularly, it relates to a walker that has a storage configuration that has less height, depth and width than its fully deployed configuration.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A walker is a three-sided tubular frame device having a transversely disposed front end and a pair of side frames disposed at roughly right angles to opposite ends of the front structure and in trailing relation thereto. The person using the walker stands in a space where the front end is forward of the person and the side frames are to the left and right. The top of each side frame provides a horizontal, longitudinally extending handle for grasping by the user.
The front end includes two (2) transversely spaced apart legs and each side structure includes one (1) leg that trails its associated front leg. A total of four (4) legs, roughly arranged in a square pattern, provide a stable structure upon which a person can lean or otherwise use for support when standing or walking. Walking requires that the user lift the walker and move it in the direction of walking after each step or steps. Some walkers include wheels for the front two (2) legs so that the walker can be rolled forwardly after each step.
It is a simple matter to add hinges to the opposite ends of the front structure so that the two side frames can be folded toward one another when the walker is not in use. Such folding reduces the depth of the walker but not its height or its width. Such reduction in depth is desirable because it enables a number of folded walkers to be stored in a space occupied by a single unfolded walker.
Walkers have also been developed that have telescoping or folding legs so that the height dimension of the walker can also be reduced to further optimize storage space.
However, a foldable walker that has a reduced depth, a reduced height, and a reduced width would represent an important advance in the art of foldable walkers. No such walker appears in the prior art.
The known foldable walkers cannot fit into small spaces such as airline overhead storage compartments, compact car front seats, and other such limited space environments.
Moreover, most of the known foldable walkers are mechanically complex and cause their owners to seek help when deploying them for use or folding them after use. Such dependence on others reduces the user's sense of independence and thereby is detrimental to the user's mental well-being.
Thus there is a need for a foldable walker that is foldable in all three dimensions so that it can fit into airline overhead compartments, compact car front seats and the like.
There is a need as well for a foldable walker that is mechanically simple to fold and unfold so that the user need not seek assistance from third parties when beginning or ending use of the walker.